Street-railway switch



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

0. A. WARD & M. M. MARTIN. STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

N0. 451,093. Patented'Apr. 28, 1891.

Z QZ l.

awwweooeo ammoz we uonms v-z-rzns cm, PHOTO-LITNO- wasumm'ou, me,

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. A. WARD & MARTIN;

STREET RAILWAY SWITCH I Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

a m ii gahw/ I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-She'9t 3.

0. A. WARDXz M. M. MARTIN.

STREET RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 451,093. 1 Patented Apr. 28,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE A. IVARD AND MICHAEL M. MARTIN, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

STREET- RAILWAY SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,093, dated April 28, 1891.

Application filed December 29, 1890- Serial No. 376,090. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CLAUDE A. WARD and MICHAEL M. MARTIN, of Kansas City, WVyandotte county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switching Devices for Street-Railway Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Our invention relates to an improvement in devices for switching street-railway cars; and it consists in the peculiar combination and arrangement of the several features, as described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Our object is to provide a device simple and durable of construction by which the switchlever for guiding cars from'one track to the other maybe operated in an easy manner and without the necessity of ever descending from the cars.

Figure 1 represents a bottom plan view of a street-car with our invention attached. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing our invention as applied to a grip-car of ordinary construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section 011 the line a: a: of Fig. 2, showing the switching device in its depressed or operative position and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the tracks at the end of the road, showing the position of the first switch tongue or point and the device by which it is held in such position after a train has passed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of the transversely-arranged sliding arm which is pivotally connected to the switch, which is adapted to be operated by the switching-arm pivotally attached to the car. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the arm shown in Fig. 6 and the device for holding said arm in its different positions. S is a plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the weighted switch-arm pivotally connected to the car.

Similar figures refer to corresponding features in all the drawings, in which 1 represents a car'of ordinary construction, from the frame-work beneath the floor of which are pivoted on the bolts 2, near opposite ends of the car, the bell-crank levers 3, the vertical arms of which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the pitman or con-.

necting-rod 4c. The horizontal arms 5 and 6 of said levers 3 extend in opposite directions toward the ends of the car, the arm 5 being pivotally connected at its end on pin 7 to the bifurcated lower end of vertically-arranged rod 8, which, extending upward through the platform of the car, is provided with the horizontal foot-plate 9 on its upper end. The forward end of arm 6 is pivotally connected through the medium of link 10, bifurcated at its opposite ends, and pivotal pins 11 11 to the ears or projections 12 at the rear end of a longitudinally extending and laterally curved switch-arm 13, which is pivoted on screw-bolt or rod 14 a suitable distance from its rear or weighted end 15, which is adapted to normally hold the forward end of said switch-arm in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 2.

Engaging the screw-bolt 14 on opposite sides of the switch-arm are the adjustable nuts 16, by which said arm may be laterally adjusted. A transversely-arranged bar 17 is provided near one end with the upwardly-extending pin or projection 18, on which the switching tongue or point 19 is pivotally arranged. This bar has secured on its opposite end the angleplate or bracket 20, the upwardly-extending arm 21 of which, provided with the curved edges 22, is in alignment with and is adapted to be engaged by theswitching-arm 13 of the car when said switcharm is operated, causing said bar 17, resting in the groove 23 and held in such position by a suitable bar 24, to move laterally, said movement causing the closing or opening of the switch tongue or point 19, which is pivotally connected on pin 18 to said bar, as described. The bar 17 is also provided with the V-shaped notches 25, which are alternately engaged by the V-shaped head 26 of a longitudinally-arranged pin 27, which engages and v is adapted to operate in a passage 28in the enlarged or projecting portion 29 of the bracket or casting 30, which is secured to the ground in a suitable manner. This pin 27 is decreased in size, forming the shoulder 31 and the spindle 32, a coiled spring'33 surrounding said spindle and bears at its opposite ends against the rear wall 34 of passage 28, and the shoulder 31 of said bar holding the V-shaped head 26 of said pin in its normal or extended position. The rod 27 is also provided with the upwardly extending pin 35, which is adapted to operate in the slot 36 of the enlarged portion of bracket 30.

The operation of our invention is as follows: To switch a train from track A to return-track G, the grip-car, being uncoupled from the passenger-car, passes when the switch 7 19 is open, as shown in Fig. 5, from the main track A over the switch-track B to the returntrack 0, opening the spring-actuated switch D, of ordinary construction, which automatically closes upon the grip-car passing from the switch-track B onto the track 0. When the last wheel of the grip-car has passed clearof the point 19, the rearwardly-extending switching-arm 13 is depressed by the gripman pressing his foot upon the horizontal plate 9, causing, through the pivotally-arranged levers 3 3 and connecting links or rods 41 and 10, the elevation of the weighted end of said switching-arm l3, and the depression of the curved or extended end until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 and immediately engages the outer curved side 22 of angle-bracket 20, causing the lateral or transverse movement of the bar 17 in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 5, and therefore the closing of the switch after the grip-car has passed, as will be readily understood, to permit the following car to keep track A and pass to the cross-over E and track 0. The switch is held in such closed position and prevented from accidental displacement from any sudden jar or shock to the rail by means of the V-shaped head 26 of longitudinal operating rod 27 which engages the outer notch 25 of the bar 17 adjacent to the bracket 20. The approachin g passenger-car continues on the main track until the rear wheels pass the switch, when the conductor, depressing thefoot-plate thereof, causes, through the mechanism described, the switch-arm 13, which is curved laterally, (in the direction opposite to the switch-arm 13 of the grip or forward car,) to assume its lowered position and engage the opposite or iiiner curved side 22 of bracket 20, causing (when the car is past) the opening of the switch, which is then. ready for the next train. The passenger-car then passes over the switchtrack E to the rear end of the grip-car, and when coupled thereto is ready for the return trip. The lateral or transverse operation of the bar 17 causes by the bearing of the inclined walls of notches 25 against the V-shaped head 26 of the bar 27 the contraction of the same, the spring 33 thereof immediately causing the advancement of said head 26-when either notch 25 of said bar 17 is opposite to or in alignment with said head 26.

The object of the curved or recessed sides 22 of bracket 20, forming the shoulders 37 37 at either upper corner, is to prevent the weighted end 15 of switch-arm 13 from 'raising the curved extended end from its engagement with the bracket 20 if the pressure upon the foot-plate 9 be removed too soon or until the bar 17 has been moved, when the weighted end 15 causes the elevation of the curved end to its normal position.

In cases where the switches 19 are arranged at each end of the tracks the several cars are provided with switching-arms 16 at each end to operate against the said extension 21 of brackets 20 to close or open the switches, as will be readily understood.

Havingthus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In a switching device for street-railway cars, the bell-crank levers 3 3, pivoted on I bolts 2 2, having the Vertical depending arms thereof pivotally connected by the pitman or rod 4, the vertical rod 8, projecting upward through the platform and provided with the foot-plate on its upper end pivotally connected to the arm 5, and the weighted leverarm 13, pivotally arranged on bolt 14 and adjustable laterally by means of the clampingnuts 16, pivotally connected at its inner end to arm 6 by means of link 10, all constructed and arranged substantially as described.

2. In a switching device for street-railway cars, the bell-crank levers pivoted on bolts in a suitable manner to the frame-work of the car, also pivotally connected through pitman 4t and link 10 with switching-arm 13, provided with the enlargement or weight 15 at its short end and with the longitudinally-extending and laterally-curved end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a switching device for street-railway cars, the combination, with a pivotal switcharm 13, of the switching tongue or point 19 through the medium of the transversely-arranged sliding bar 17, provided with a pin or projection 18, pivotally engaging said point -19, and the angle-bracket 20, provided with the curved or recessed sides 22 22, having shoulders 27 27 at their upper corners, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i. In a switching device for street-railway cars, the combination, with a switching tongue or point 19, of a securing or holding device consisting of a suitable bracket or casting 30, having the enlargement 32, provided with the longitudinally-extendin g passages 28 therein, and the rod or bar 27, provided with the head 26 at its forward end, which is V-shaped in plan view, and having the decreased portion 32 thereof surrounded by a coil-spring 33, which bears against the rear wall 34: of said passage, and the shoulder 31 of said rod holding it normally in its forward or extended position, the said bar also being provided with the pin or projection 35, engaging the guide or limit slot 36 in the upper portion of the enlargement of the casing or bracket 30, and a transversely-extending bar 17, pivoted to the said switch-point and provided with the adjacent V-shaped slots 25, which are altongue, and a spring-actuated pin adapted to 10 ternately engaged by the head 26 as the engage the notches in the bar, as described. switch is opened or closed, substantially as In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures and for the purpose set forth; in presence of two Witnesses.

5. In a device for switching railway-cars, CLAUDE A. VARD. the combination, with a switch tongue or MICHAEL M. MARTIN. point, of a sliding bar 17, having an extended Witnesses: portion 21 thereon and having notches in its H. O. JOHNSON,

side, the said barbeing pivoted to the switch- VERNON M. DORSEY. 

